Hong Kong Taxi Guide 2026: Fares, Apps, Payment Methods & Tips

Hong Kong taxis are convenient for Filipino travelers carrying luggage, traveling with family, or arriving late at night. This guide covers Hong Kong taxi colors, metered fares, extra charges, airport taxi tips, payment methods, taxi apps, and useful safety tips for your trip.

Why Take a Taxi in Hong Kong?

Hong Kong has an efficient public transport system, including the MTR, buses, minibuses, trams, and ferries. However, taxis are still helpful in many situations.

A taxi is a good choice when you are:

• Carrying large luggage or multiple shopping bags
• Traveling with children or elderly family members
• Arriving late at night
• Going to a hotel far from the nearest MTR station
• Traveling during heavy rain
• Visiting places with limited public transport
• Sharing the fare with friends or family

Taxis are easy to find outside hotels, major shopping malls, MTR stations, tourist attractions, ferry terminals, and Hong Kong International Airport.

Types of Hong Kong Taxis

Hong Kong taxis are divided into three colors. Each color serves a different area, so choosing the correct taxi is important.

All three taxi types can serve Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong Disneyland, and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port.

Red Urban Taxi

Red taxis are the most common taxis for tourists. They operate throughout Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and most parts of the New Territories.

You will usually take a red taxi when traveling around:

• Central
• Causeway Bay
• Wan Chai
• Tsim Sha Tsui
• Mong Kok
• Jordan
• Yau Ma Tei
• Kai Tak
• Most city areas

For most Filipino tourists staying in Hong Kong Island or Kowloon, the red taxi will be the main taxi option.

Green New Territories Taxi

Green taxis mainly operate in selected areas of the New Territories, including:

• Yuen Long
• Tuen Mun
• Tai Po
• North District
• Ma On Shan
• Lok Ma Chau
• Shenzhen Bay Port
• Most parts of Sai Kung

Green taxis cannot travel freely around Central, Causeway Bay, Mong Kok, or Tsim Sha Tsui. However, they can serve selected approved locations, including Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong Disneyland, Tsing Yi Station, and Tsuen Wan Station.

Blue Lantau Taxi

Blue taxis operate mainly on Lantau Island and around the airport area.

They are useful for trips to or from:

• Hong Kong International Airport
• Tung Chung
• Ngong Ping
• Tai O
• Hong Kong Disneyland
• Hotels and attractions on Lantau Island

Blue taxis are less common than red taxis, so waiting times may be longer during busy periods.

Hong Kong Taxi Fares

Regular Hong Kong taxis use meters. The final fare depends on the distance traveled and the time spent waiting in traffic.

For simple budgeting, HK$1 is around ₱7.7 to ₱7.8. Exchange rates may change, so check the latest rate before your trip.

After the fare reaches a certain amount, the meter increase becomes lower:

• Red taxi: HK$1.40 after the fare reaches HK$102.50
• Green taxi: HK$1.40 after the fare reaches HK$82.50
• Blue taxi: HK$1.60 after the fare reaches HK$195.00

Traffic jams can increase the final fare because waiting time is also counted by the meter.

Hong Kong Taxi Extra Charges

The amount shown on the meter may not include luggage, tunnel, toll, or booking charges.

Small personal bags, backpacks, and laptop bags carried inside the taxi are usually free.

Tunnel and Toll Charges

Passengers must pay tolls when the taxi uses a toll tunnel or toll road.

For cross-harbour trips between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island:

• Taxi tunnel toll: HK$25
• Return toll may also apply: HK$25
• Total tunnel surcharge may be HK$50

To avoid the return toll, use an official cross-harbour taxi stand. This is useful for routes like Tsim Sha Tsui to Central, Mong Kok to Causeway Bay, or Jordan to Wan Chai.

Other common tolls:

How to Take a Taxi in Hong Kong

There are several easy ways to get a taxi in Hong Kong.

1. Hail a Taxi on the Street

You can raise your hand to stop an available taxi. An available taxi usually has its roof light on.

Do not try to stop a taxi:

• In a no-stopping zone
• On busy roads where taxis cannot stop safely
• At a drop-off-only point
• When the taxi shows “Out of Service”
• In areas where passengers are directed to use an official taxi stand

The easiest way is to wait at a taxi stand outside an MTR station, hotel, shopping mall, or attraction.

2. Use a Hotel Taxi Queue

Many hotels can help guests call a taxi or provide the destination address in Chinese.

This is helpful when:

• You are going to the airport early in the morning
• You have several bags
• You are not sure how to pronounce the destination
• The driver may not understand the English name
• It is raining and street taxis are hard to find

3. Book Through a Taxi App

Taxi apps are helpful because you can enter your destination before the ride. This reduces language problems and lets you track the route.

For Filipino travelers, Uber Taxi is one of the easiest app options because it supports English and international payment cards.

Best Hong Kong Taxi Apps for Filipino Travelers

1. Uber Taxi

Uber Taxi is one of the easiest choices for first-time visitors in Hong Kong. You can use an existing Uber account if you already have one, or create an account before your trip.

Why it is useful:

• English app interface
• International phone numbers may be supported
• International credit or debit cards can be linked
• Apple Pay or Google Pay may work, depending on your setup
• Pickup and destination are entered in the app
• Driver and vehicle details are shown
• Route tracking is available
• Licensed Hong Kong taxis can be booked through Uber Taxi

When using the app, choose Uber Taxi if you want a regular licensed Hong Kong taxi.

Uber may also show other ride options, such as UberX or Uber Black. These are different from regular red, green, or blue taxis. If you want a licensed taxi, select the taxi option in the app.

How to Book an Uber Taxi in Hong Kong

1. Open the Uber app.
2. Enter your pickup location.
3. Enter your hotel, attraction, airport, or station as the destination.
4. Select Uber Taxi.
5. Review the ride details.
6. Confirm the pickup point.
7. Check the taxi plate and driver details before getting in.
8. Check the final fare after the ride.

For airport, mall, or hotel pickups, follow the pickup instructions shown in the app.

2. FlyTaxi

FlyTaxi is a local taxi-booking app in Hong Kong. It connects passengers with licensed taxis and can be useful during busy periods.

It may help when:

• It is raining
• It is rush hour
• You are traveling late at night
• Taxi queues are long
• You want to book a taxi in advance

The app supports English and Chinese, but some features may work better with a Hong Kong phone number. For short-term tourists, Uber Taxi may be easier.

3. Octopus Easy Ride

Octopus Easy Ride is available through the Octopus App. It connects users with supported taxi-booking partners and ride services.

It is useful for travelers who already use Octopus for:

• MTR
• Buses
• Ferries
• Convenience stores
• Restaurants
• Selected taxis

The main advantage is that you can use the Octopus App for supported booking and payment options. Before using it, check if your Octopus App, account, and payment setup support Easy Ride.

4. Official Licensed Taxi Fleets

Hong Kong also has officially licensed taxi fleets with their own booking apps, websites, and customer service hotlines.

Examples include:

• Amigo
• Big Bee Taxi
• Big Boss Taxi
• Joie
• SynCab

These fleet taxis may offer different vehicle types, online booking, driver ratings, multiple e-payment options, and customer service features.

For pre-arranged fleet taxi journeys, the fare may be charged by meter plus an agreed booking fee, or by a lump sum fare agreed before the journey starts. For street-hailed fleet taxis or fleet taxis taken at a taxi stand, the fare should follow the metered fare rules.

Important Note About the HKTaxi App

Some older guides still mention the HKTaxi app. However, the standalone HKTaxi cab-hailing service closed on April 1, 2025, and users were directed to switch to Uber.

For 2026 travel, use Uber Taxi, FlyTaxi, Octopus Easy Ride, official taxi fleet apps, or regular street taxis.

How to Pay for a Hong Kong Taxi

From April 1, 2026, Hong Kong taxi drivers must provide at least two electronic payment methods:

• One QR-code payment method
• One non-QR payment method

Possible payment options include:

Always check the payment stickers on the taxi window or ask the driver before starting your ride.

Can You Use GCash or Maya for Hong Kong Taxis?

Do not depend on GCash or Maya as your main taxi payment method in Hong Kong. Even if a taxi has a QR code, it may only support selected Hong Kong or mainland Chinese payment apps.

For Filipino travelers, it is better to prepare:

• Cash
• Octopus Card
• International credit or debit card
• Uber Taxi with in-app payment

Before your trip, make sure your Philippine bank card is enabled for international transactions.

Taking a Taxi from Hong Kong International Airport

After arriving at Hong Kong International Airport, follow the Taxi signs to the official taxi station.

Choose your queue based on your destination:

• Red taxi: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and most urban areas
• Green taxi: Selected areas in the New Territories
• Blue taxi: Tung Chung, Disneyland, and other Lantau Island areas

Do not accept private ride offers from people inside the terminal. Always use the official airport taxi queue.

Estimated Airport Taxi Fares

These are rough estimates only. The final fare may change depending on traffic, tolls, route, waiting time, and luggage.

Add HK$6 for each piece of luggage placed in the trunk.

Tips for Riding a Taxi in Hong Kong

• Save your destination: Keep your hotel name, address, and map pin on your phone.
• Prepare the Chinese address: Some drivers may understand limited English.
• Use the correct taxi color: Green and blue taxis cannot travel freely across all areas.
• Check the meter: Street taxis should use the official meter.
• Check the payment sticker: Confirm whether your preferred card or wallet is accepted.
• Keep small cash: Avoid depending only on one electronic payment method.
• Ask for a receipt: It can help if you leave something inside the taxi.
• Take a photo of the plate: This is useful for reporting lost property or service issues.
• Wear your seat belt: Seat belts should be used whenever they are available.
• Use official airport queues: Do not accept rides from people approaching you inside the terminal.
• Choose clear pickup points: Hotel entrances and official taxi stands are easier than crowded roadside locations.
• Allow extra time during rain: Taxi demand increases quickly during bad weather.